Bud Holloway headed to Moscow to play in KHL

It looks like Bud Holloway’s NHL career will consist of one game played with the Canadiens this season.

Holloway has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moskva in the KHL. The 28-year-old forward spent this past season with the St. John’s IceCaps — the Canadiens’ AHL farm team — and led the team in scoring with 19-42-61 totals in 70 games while also filling a key leadership role.

Holloway was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round (86th overall) at the 2006 NHL entry draft but has bounced around the minors ever since. Before joining the IceCaps, had spent three seasons playing in Sweden and one in Switzerland.

The Canadiens called Holloway up for one game this season — a 3-2 shootout win over the Devils in New Jersey on Nov 27. Holloway logged 7:19 of ice time and had one shot on goal.

“It was huge,” Holloway said at the end of the AHL season about his one game in the NHL. “It was the whole reason I came back to North America. Obviously, you get the taste you want to go back, but that’s how this game works. When I came back (to St. John’s) I made sure that I worked as hard as I can so if they needed me I’d be ready. I just kept doing the right things down here.”

When asked why he hasn’t been able to earn a full-time job in the NHL, Holloway said: “It’s probably a bit of everything. Sometimes they say conditioning, sometimes they say puck protection, making the right plays and stuff like that. There’s always a little bit of everything. But sometimes you’re not sure if they’re just saying one thing and meaning the other. I just try and work hard.”

The Canadiens had the game puck from Holloway’s one NHL game delivered to him in St. John’s.

“I was really happy that they did that and I appreciate that very much,” he said.

(Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Canadiens call-up Holloway living the dream

PUBLISHED ON NOV. 23, 2015

STU COWAN
MONTREAL GAZETTE

Gilligan’s Island had Thurston Howell III, golf’s PGA Tour has Davis Love III and, of course, there was England’s King George III.

Now, the Canadiens have George Holloway III. But you can call him Bud.

“My babysitter started calling me Bud when I was one or two,” Holloway said following Sunday’s morning skate in Brossard as the Canadiens prepared to face the New York Islanders at the Bell Centre. “I’m George III, so it makes it easy to call someone Bud and less confusing around the house.”

Bud Holloway is a hockey journeyman. The 27-year-old was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round (86th overall) of the 2006 entry draft, but has never played a game in the National Hockey League. So imagine how he felt when he learned late Saturday night – after picking up an assist for the St. John’s IceCaps in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Syracuse Crunch – that the Canadiens were calling him up from the American Hockey League.

“(Age) 27 and finally got the call, so I’m obviously pretty ecstatic to be here,” the 6-foot, 194-pound forward said. “This is the first time the phone ever rang (from an NHL team).”

Holloway only got about 90 minutes of sleep Saturday night before heading to the St. John’s airport for a 5 a.m. flight to Montreal on Sunday and he was on the ice in Brossard at 10:30 a.m. But he did have time to phone his father back home in Wapella, Sask., calling it a “pretty proud moment.”

His father’s reaction? “I can’t really say on the microphone,” Holloway said with a big grin. “He was pretty happy.”

A group of more than a dozen media members were waiting for Holloway in the Canadiens‘ locker room after the morning skate, something he’s obviously not used to.

“Are you guys here to see me?” he said with a sweaty smile.

Holloway was the second IceCaps player to catch the 5 a.m. flight from St. John’s to Montreal in two days. On Saturday morning, it was Sven Andrighetto who was called up. The two forwards were needed in Montreal after Torrey Mitchell and then Devante Smith-Pelly were sidelined with lower-body injuries. Andrighetto was in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Islanders, filling the revolvingdoor spot at right wing on a line with centre Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller. Andrighetto, a 5-foot-10, 187-pounder from Switzerland, was Montreal’s third-round pick (86th overall) at the 2013 entry draft and has two goals and one assist in 12 career games with the Canadiens. In 17 games with the IceCaps this season, he had 6-9-15 totals.

Holloway was leading the IceCaps in scoring with 5-15-20 totals in 18 games after spending the last four seasons in Europe. Last season, he had 13-24-37 totals in 42 games with Bern in Switzerland. In 2012-13, he led the Swedish league in scoring with 20-51-71 totals in 55 games with Skelleftea AIK.

“Every kid dreams of playing in the NHL and that’s what I wanted,” Holloway said. “I felt like I developed a lot when I went overseas.”

Holloway gave a lot of credit to Guy Boucher, his coach in Bern who used to coach the Canadiens‘ AHL farm team in Hamilton and then was head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning before heading to Europe.

“He wanted me to come back (to North America), he knew my plan was to come back and he kind of took me under his wing and took a lot of time and showed me what he thought would be good for me, what I should do, what I’m going to need to do,” Holloway said about Boucher, the McGill University graduate who was surprisingly fired by Bern last week. “It was good to have him last year.”

The Canadiens took a chance on Holloway this summer, signing him to a one-year, two-way contract. He showed up early for training camp, hoping to prove he was serious about trying to earn an NHL roster spot and, if not, was ready to play a leadership role in St. John’s.

“I’ve been trying to be a leader down there in St. John’s … do what I can,” Holloway said. “I’m one of the veteran guys at 27.

We’ve got a real young group, so I’m just trying to lead by example.”

He added playing in Europe was a good experience both on and offthe ice.

“I think just learning different customs and cultures and stuff like that,” he said. “You can talk to everyone when you go home here. When you go home over there, you’re having trouble just going to the grocery store. Just learning a different language, learning different Christmas traditions, all that stuff. It’s pretty interesting and makes it a lot more fun outside the rink.”

Now, Holloway is hoping to impress the Canadiens enough to actually play in his first NHL game.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of trying, a lot of hard times, just believing in myself,” he said. “Twenty-seven-year-old rookie, it still feels as good as it does at 18 or 21. I’m pretty happy.”

NHL players are known for coming up with nicknames for their teammates and P.K. Subban was asked if the Canadiens had one yet for George Holloway III, or if it would simply be Bud.

“I haven’t thought of one yet, but I’m sure the guys will cook something up soon,” Subban said.

110 Comments

I constantly read posters expressing what trades should Habs make, which prospects to draft, different line combos etc..what about team strategies employed? I can get really into those kinds of debates… such as: this whole “build the team from the goalie out”. I started hearing that one being circulated perhaps a couple years after Roy went to Colorado- probably CH realizing after the kind of massive chink that move did to their talented roster and not being able to get past the 1st round 4 out 5 times (was it?). I remember hearing/reading in the media how without a solid netminder teams would NEVER get far in the playoffs. And i guess it was true in those years (mid 90s). That era saw the likes of Brodeur, Roy, Hasek, Belfour, Richter, Vernon, Kidd

But i cant help wonder the validity of that strategy being paramount today. Yes i can see how soft goals at the most inopportune time kills all momentum and sucks the energy right out of a team; but in todays NHL where a good deal of goalies will make the first stop and are skilled like never before, isnt it now not only the players to support their goalie, but to first and foremost score goals?

Building from the goalie out sounds too conservative to my ears now. Rings too much of “team thats lets the least goals in wins”. Analagous to the glass half full/empty paradox, i opine that in the new NHL (and perhaps since ever) “team to score most goals wins” sounds like the ticket today.

Paradox indeed: in the years there were no less than 5 players in the league with 100+pts with a good half dozen in the 50 goal range, one or two in the 60 goal range, and the 70 mark reached on the odd occasion; the old adage of building from the goalie out was heralded. For a while now players are hard-pressed to reach 80+pts and over 40 goals! Also several teams up until the late 90s were in the 300+ GF, today- zilch!

So if you look at which teams are having huge success today it happens to be the ones that are finding ways to score as opposed to keeping the puck out of the net; and not because the goalies are not good but beacause at the onset of the NHL true too few and far between understood this and were willing to make changes accordingly.

Imo, the only strategy that can trump an offensively gifted team in 2016 is the team that best plays as a unit- which is the objective in Olympics. MT… not so much.

Gudbranson’s barely an NHL defenseman in my books. He was an anchor in Florida. Sure, he’s big and mean and clears out the front of the net, but he has to do it a lot because he’s useless and when he’s on the ice it tilts towards his end.

There’s a reason why Vancouver is a terrible team and it’s because Trevor Linden and Jim Benning clearly have no clue what makes players good. If you want someone like Gudbranson you don’t give up high picks and a top prospect, you pick him up off waivers.

Yeah, Gudbranson’s teammates love him, but hockey players are human beings and of course they’re gonna love a tough guy who sacrifices himself for them, band-of-brothers style. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t stink. As much as they liked having Gudbranson as a teammate, they’ll enjoy winning in the playoffs a lot more.

And while we’re at it … if Vancouver was just chomping at the bit to overpay for defenseman, where was Marc “nobody is on the phone more” Bergevin? Too busy striking out with Shipyachov?

I have to really disagree that he is barely an NHL d man. He is exactly the type of D man you want in a long playoff series. He is only 24 and has another 3 years or so before he hits his prime and is a top 4 d man.
Vancouver’s D was way too soft last year (not much different than ours) and for the next ten years or so they have a player who will really help them back there.
Vancouver paid a steep price, no doubt but I think this is a good trade for a need that had to be addressed.
I will say the fact that Vancouver had both Luongo and Schneider and now they have miller……that is brutal judgement on their part but this trade I can see the value in Gudbranson.
Look at the size of the D on Tampa, San Jose, St Louis and they physical style they play

You’re totally right, “barely” is unfair. He’s a legit NHL D-man, and he’s still got time to develop.

I still think that he’s overrated, though. Big tough defensemen aren’t worth what they used to be unless they can also skate and move the puck. Those are the sorts of D that TB, Pit, StL & SJ have.

Between those four teams, there are exactly two defensemen in the classic big-tough-crease-clearer mold (Brendan Dillon and Roman Polak, both bottom-pairing guys on SJ.) The other three teams didn’t have any. Their defensemen do have size, but they’re not especially physical; they just use their bodies for leverage and rely on smarts and skill to make plays. That Pittsburgh’s season turned around when they dumped Rob Scuderi for Trevor Daley is pretty symbolic.

Gudbranson’s worth strikes me as in line with Dillon and Polak: decent bottom-pairing rugged types. There’s value there, but a young center who projects as a responsible two-way 50-point type is worth so much more.

–Vancouver’s ownership may have dictated a change from stockpiling draft picks and prospects to acquiring 24 year olds who can play now, help the team make the playoffs.

–asked about whether Dale Tallon would have made this trade, Bob says that they stated he had final say on trades, but he’s not sure about that.

–Erik Gudbranson has a really hard shot, may not have had the opportunity to expand his role on a team with Aaron Ekblad and Brian Campbell, but he might in Vancouver.

–Vancouver can’t re-sign him until January 1st, he’s in an advantageous negotiating position. He’s already turned down multiple years at $4.5M, and the team that owns his rights just traded a boatload to get him. 4 years at $5M would be the starting point for the Canucks.

–with reports that the Panthers were after Jared McCann, there are going to be rumours about other teams saying they could have offered more for the Florida defenceman. The Oilers gave up that type of package for a lesser player as of now, less of a proven commodity in Griffin Reinhart.

———————————————————————–“…my dad’s idea of a relaxing time is yelling at someone how wrong they are! He’s barely happy unless he feels like he’s being persecuted.”

–he’s only 24 years old. With Edler, Hutton and Tanev, I can’t think of a better fit for the Canucks than Erik Gudbranson. He helps the transition to a younger team.

–Brian Skrudland is in charge of Player Development in Florida, and he identified Erik as a key in terms of team dynamics.

–he’d rather spend money on Erik Gudbranson, pay the significant price for him, instead of chasing after 34 year old Dan Hamhuis.

–when you don’t stock the shelf in your system, you don’t draft d-men, you have to pay in other ways.

–he has more of a problem with the Gustav Forsling trade, where they acquired Adam Clendinning in return, who can’t play. This hurts, Forsling will play a solid role for Chicago in a couple of years.

–Jared McCann is a centreman, mindset of a centre, distributes the puck, does the work without the puck. He’s not a #1, but will be a good centre, might get you 50 points a season.

–33rd might have brought in Vitali Abramov or Dylan Dubé, players with question marks but still lots of upside. Maybe Tyler Benson, concerns with injuries and skating speed, but still a great prospect.

–even if fancy stats don’t put him in a favourable light, his Florida teammates love him, they don’t think he’s a detriment to their team. You have to take these things in balance, understand what a player is, and don’t put him in a position where he’s ‘extended’ with respect to his skillset, his abilities.

–look at Phil Kessel, didn’t fit with Sidney Crosby, but is great with Nick Bonino and Carl Hagelin. You have to accept what works for a player, not force them in situations which don’t.

–the big bruising defenceman who can’t do much else, the bloom is off the rose. You have to be able to make a play with the puck. If not, your team will struggle. You have to be able to skate. If you can’t, it doesn’t matter if you’re 6’5″ or 5’8″.

–about Dylan Sadowy being traded to the Red Wings for a third-round pick next year, he thinks it’s an agent issue, Ian Pulver asking for too much, and San Jose wasn’t prepared to meet his demands, but Detroit, who need more goals, more talent, they thought he was worth it.

–you’re better off getting the Erik Gudbranson-type player in free agency at a lower cost, rather than through trade. (Matt Sekeres brings up Roman Polak who’ll be available this summer as UFA, and says you can’t/shouldn’t pay a premium for that profile of player. Blake Price disagrees, he says historically, that’s where you overpay for defencemen, kill your cap, is on July 1)

–Erik Gudbranson has been receiving more media coverage in the last 24 hours than he has his entire career.

–the Canucks should trade down and draft Tyson Jost, a potential #1 centre. (Matt Sekeres disagrees that they’ll trade down, thinks now that Jared McCann is gone it’s a foregone conclusion that the Canucks will draft Pierre-Luc Dubois or Matt Tkatchuk, to build the Top 6. Blake Price disagrees with that, states that he would be shocked if the Canucks didn’t acquire more picks for this draft, and that a trade down would be an easy way to do so.)

–Canucks have needed a good tough Canadian boy on the blue line ever since Willie Mitchell left town.

–Oilers and Leafs fans have the stomach for a rebuild because they haven’t seen success for a long time. Canucks fans still think about Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2011.

–every trade Jim Benning makes is the Boston Model 2.0, be ready for a lot of 2-1 games.

–the possibility of being exposed at the expansion draft will make Alex Edler waive his No Trade Clause.

–the reason Canucks fans are outraged is because they never saw Erik Gudbranson play, being stuck in Florida as he was.

–early trades like this, a month before the draft, is a shot of expresso for hockey fans.

–Canucks fans are way too in love with their prospects, overrate them consistently, fail to appreciate that that’s what they are, prospects. (Matt Sekeres says that, having worked in many markets like Ottawa and Toronto, this is the case everywhere)

–this trade has killed the dream of drafting Vancouver Giant Tyler Benson with the 33rd pick.

–Jim Benning’s philosophy isn’t about solely making the playoffs or outright tanking, it’s about developing kids in a competitive environment, and acquiring Erik Gudbranson does that, stabilizes the defence and the team for next season, gives the team a better chance to win, be competitive. He’ll provide protection to the kids.

–San Jose has shown that the retool plan can work, and it can in Vancouver (Matt Sekeres dissents, talks about extremely high-end players like Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, which the Canucks do not have)

–maybe Erik Gudbranson could replicate the success he had with Brian Campbell in Florida, with Ben Hutton, two similar players.

Hiya HIO! Slow day for me as well so i checked in and couldnt resist donating oh about a nickels worth!

First off i was not too impressed with STL, even when they routed SJ in game 4. I thought STL was going to be nastier and be a bit more up tempo. What i saw from SJ was a team just trying to out skate, out pass and out puck-posses STL until holes were exposed in the latter’s D. I think even Habs minus CP31 could of beaten STL in 6 or 7.

The East is where its at! Speed, nastiness, and hustle clinic. I think all those series PIT lost to PHI has taught Sid &co to suck it up but also dish it out. SJ’s smart, efficient game is probably best suited to meet either eastern team head on.

I couldnt care less about TB- they are the enemy (I really dont like Bish, Tyler J and Callahan in that order).

I would like a PIT vs SJ final, with the Cup going to SJ- for the sentimental reasons of seeing 2 great veteran hockey players Thornton & Marleau getting their due.

Onto Habs…

Are Habs really far away from Cup contendership? I think not. But what i do believe Habs are sorely lacking for contendership is grit (ala Muller & Nilan & Gainey & Roy & Robinson to name my favs). That and some serious CHaracter (i would even settle for some CHara as long as its not homicidal). I had a strong feeling that Prust going to VAN and MB not finding a replacement for him would leave a vacuum in the grit dept. I think MB assumed that someone would step up, just like he assumed his goalie stable was good enough with a healthy Price, or that PK knows to quit his high-risk antics with 5 minutes remaining in the game. Ok that last one is gratuitous.

My point being that MB’s decisions this past season do seem sophmorish, which is to be expected somewhat since just now coming into his 4th season ever as a GM, and most certainly he will continue to make errors. But hes got to learn from the ones hes already made.

2015-2016 season was probably his worst as far as being GM (managing the cap gives him brain cramps?) because the oversights were obvious: Kassian? Semin not given a solid chance; foxholes and questionable contract extentions; PK turned into a sideshow instead of a leader; Maxpac left to dry by mngmnt, the vets and indirectly by the coach (MT is a whole notha post!). And Price going down made it the perfect sh!te storm- and all over MB’s underwear for everyone to see (its all on him lol). To use a sports psychologist quip: failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

I think MBs biggest mistake is trying to make eveyone happy, intermixing work and friendship and all. Molson should of talked to him in private and given him a course in buisness 101. Then again with the Bell center being a sell out every game Molson could afford to extended MB a long leash.

To finish up: all ive wanted to say is Habs are one bonafide 80 pt getter, 2 hardnosed CHaracter players (preferably one F and one D), being well managed and even better coached; away from being a contending team. Get the confidence and the grit will come. And no im not talking about the grit it takes to play in a scrutinizing market, im talking about the grit it takes to pry the Cup from the good teams that dont.

Message to CH brass: FFS get rid of excuses, foxeholes and shady ops! And acknowlege the importance of your fans when your ripping them off!

I was reading a Sportsnet article on the Vancouver Florida trade, they were complaining about Vancouver trading for a very low scoring Dman when they need more points from the D. They had a chart showing that only 3 teams had less points from their D. I looked at the other end of that chart and noticed that only 5 teams had more points from their D than Montreal:http://assets1.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/dmanpoints.jpg

My take on the Erik Gudbranson trade, leaving aside the fact that we’re not desperate for righties on D, and have Greg Pateryn who can perform in the role of the tough third-pairing rightie, is that we’d be outraged at the cost.

How happy would we be if we’d surrendered Nikita Scherbak and a 33rd overall for Erik Gudbranson?

———————————————————————–“…my dad’s idea of a relaxing time is yelling at someone how wrong they are! He’s barely happy unless he feels like he’s being persecuted.”

I don’t know McCann well enough outside of watching him somewhat in the NHL. Gudbranson on the Habs? A 2nd-pair RHD in my books, given his size and mobility. A notch above Pateryn, for sure, even if he’ll never be the offensive threat expected at the draft table.

Given our glut of RHD I think we’d be crazy to do that trade with Scherbak involved, absolutely. But Vancouver filled a need, and got a kid who’s still RFA. It’s a better move for them than it would be theoretically for us.

As you say – leaving that glut aside entirely – I’d do it. A pick and an kid whose ceiling or limits we don’t know vs. a known useful commodity who can skate, hit, and make our team harder to play against? 24 years old? I gotta go for the sure thing here.

First I’m hearing about it, but I think that is a very good deal for Vancouver. Wouldn’t really make sense for MTL given the contract that Petry is holding down, but I would love a guy like Gudbranson on my team. Won’t wow you with offense and will get turned around from time to time, but he brings a big time physical element and can play top minutes.

I think this deal was able to happen because A) it was out of conference, B) FLA is flush with good young defencemen, and C) they needed to deal him now before the contract situation got complicated (i.e. other guys coming up for renewal; Kulikov, Huberdeau, Petrovic, Ekblad, etc.).

Also shows that trades can happen, even with the playoffs reaching a fever pitch.

If you’re waiting for Buttman to do anything that is premised solely on the good of the game without greenbacks somewhere in the mix, you’re in for a long wait. What surprises me is that he pulled this stunt with a beloved sunbelt team.

Bettman put the teams in places where people don’t care, he made the deal with a Network who puts most of the games on channels people don’t get and then Gary tells a team to stop doing things that may encourage more fan involvement.

Sorry but Gary is the village idiot when it comes to actually caring about the game of hockey. He is great at banking and lawyering. Good for Gary for that, Boo for Gary and how it relates to hockey itself.

CHeers Shiram, I just get a bit heated when it comes to Gary. I get the whole aspect of him growing the dollars in the game (granted I think most any qualified individual gets similar growth over the time period he has presided) but I feel he has done a disservice to actually growing the game itself.

I’m obviously no fan of Gary Bettman, I believe he’s actually stifled the growth of hockey, held back the growth of revenues for the NHL.

In this example, like many others I’ve bemoaned, he’s incapable of making a decision that benefits the long-term instead of a knee-jerk pennywise move.

If this was a concern from NBC, this is where his schmoozing skills come in, when his ‘tough negotiator’ persona should serve hockey fans. He should have made them see that in the long view, it’s much, much better for hockey and the NHL and NBC to have these viewing parties and get people psyched about hockey, create fans for life, instead of focusing on immediate, incremental Nielsen ratings gains.

But no, of course Gary will worry about the bottom line, will chase pennies and leave future dollars on the table. It would be mind-boggling, if it wasn’t so routine for him during his tenure, so par for the course.

It is interesting when we talk about team size and toughness. Checking out the site below one can see there are not huge differences although Habs rate 3rd shortest. I wonder why.
So it comes down to real toughness and character, get that MT and MB?

1. He is ‘convinced HE is the coach that will bring the next cup to Montreal’
Sounds like he is putting a lot of importance on himself rather than the team.
2. The guy couldn’t even make the playoffs with a huge head start in the standings…oh wait…but now he’s gonna bring the cup?

Well geez, I thought he meant he was literally going to do it all himself too. I would have much rather him said that another coach would be better. What’s the guy supposed to say, talk about nit’ picking

We get that you like him Marek…I’m happy you’ll have him for another year. If you can’t see his faults it is because maybe you just like seeing the good in people…I’m over him after last year’s debacle.

I don’t like him or dislike him. There were many faults that showed last year, in the TEAM as well. I just find it annoying that people think he’s the only problem. I’d bet money that any other coach last year would have had the same results. The results from last year were as much on the players as they were on the coach and GM.

The constant nit’picking and dissecting of every single word or action the guy makes is tiresome. If you think that when he said HE is the next coach to help win the cup, that HE himself thinks he would be responsible is silly.

I definitely don’t blame it all on him but had a good hand in it.
MB’s failure to make a change when needed or to bring in any top 6 players since he came here also has taken its toll. I too would bet any money that a true leader of a coach would have stop that free-fall well before it got to where it did.

He was scouted by Jim Benning in 2010, who seriously considered drafting him instead of Tyler Séguin.

He hits, he’s a presence.

He’s not a puck mover, but will be paired with Ben Hutton, and will allow him to skate more freely, concentrate on offence and skating and passing the puck. Ben Hutton will be more protected.

For the Canucks, this is a hockey trade. This is a business move by Florida, unloading a $3.5M RFA who will want $5.5M and doesn’t sell tickets in South Florida. Hell of a hockey move for the Canucks.

This means we say goodbye to Dan Hamhuis.”

–Billy Watters had this to say:

“Heck of a deal for Canucks, 24 year old who fits in with young team.

He’s tough as nails, doesn’t turn down any fights, changes the makeup of a soft team.

This is a Vinny Viola trade, not a Dale Tallon trade, he’s trying to reduce payroll.

The Canucks will reap rewards for ten years, the get a tough guy who can play. 29 other teams would have jumped at the chance to acquire Gudbranson.”

–Another view from TSN 1040 Vancouver: With Luca Sbisa, Nikita Tryamkin and Andrei Pedan already available to provide toughness on a third pairing, they may move Luca Sbisa and his salary to try and keep Dan Hamhuis. The Canucks will still need puck movers and effective all-around defencemen next year.

–The boys at the pub last night were antsy about the trade, about giving up on Jared McCann so soon after drafting him, after one season in Vancouver when he could/should have played in Junior.

One of the guys said “I hate the fact that we gave up a 2nd-rounder, I would have preferred we give up 3rd rounder instead.”

To which I replied “Do you think maybe Jim Benning pitched that, and maybe Florida wouldn’t go for it?”, which he grudgingly accepted. They’re fretting about losing a 33rd overall pick in this draft, they had already started window shopping, they’re frustrated at losing such a good 2nd-rounder.

They do think he will replace Kevin Bieksa in the dressing room, on the ice, that the Canucks’ defence was way too soft last season, that they missed what Beeker brought.

———————————————————————–“…my dad’s idea of a relaxing time is yelling at someone how wrong they are! He’s barely happy unless he feels like he’s being persecuted.”

The Florida Panthers new régime made the call to the Canucks, saying they were interested in Jared McCann.

The Canucks were a little concerned about his entitled attitude this season, he objected to being in and out of the lineup, up and down in the lineup, playing limited fourth-line minutes (when he could have been sent back down to his OHL team). They worried about him, how he’d react if he was sent to the AHL, which is likely for him next season. They were doubtful that he could be a #1 centre, or #2, or Top 6 winger. He didn’t fit the profile of the team of the future, big skilled forwards (Jake Virtanen, Brock Boeser, Emerson Etem, Bo Horvat, Pierre-Luc Dubois/Matt Tkachuk).

In context, the Canucks considered two things. One, if you don’t draft a defenceman, someone who can play reliable Top 4 minutes, where is he coming from? Their farm system is bare.

Number two, if you try to get one through trade at the draft, the Oilers can trump any offer they try to make(#4 overall pick, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, etc.)

A scout Matt Sekeres spoke with said Erik Gudbranson is a #5 on a good team, #4 on a mediocre team, has limited puck skills. Neither skating or hockey IQ hold him back, but they’re not élite either. Decent agility, not a pretty skater though. He’s a younger Roman Polak. Better than Luke Schenn, but he’s in their league.

You need one of these guys on your team, but can only have one, not two.

Chris Tanev brings very little offence, Erik Gudbranson also very little offence, the puck will be moving up from the left side with Ben Hutton and Alex Edler.

Heart and soul player in the Panthers locker room. Affordable now, but he will try to cash in next season.

Matt Sekeres says that as a matter of principle, you don’t surrender a young offensive prospect for a defensive no-offence player. Compares to the Griffin Reinhart trade the Oilers made, a trade he hated, this one is worse.

Canucks finished second-last in offence, this is a move in the wrong direction.

What is the plan if you’re trading away 19 year olds and high second-rounders for 24 year olds?

Blake Price lists previous #33 picks: Adam Erne, Sebastian Collberg, Rocco Grimaldi, John Mcfarland, Ryan O’Reilly, Phil McRae, etc., you have to go back to James Neal to get a ‘real player’, so he doesn’t shed tears at the thought of the high 2nd-rounder.

———————————————————————–“…my dad’s idea of a relaxing time is yelling at someone how wrong they are! He’s barely happy unless he feels like he’s being persecuted.”

“You need one of these guys on your team, but can only have one, not two.
I guess ours is Emelin. It’s too bad he can’t fill the fighter role that Gudbranson does; but it is amazing that Gudb is expected to sign for $5.5M and we complain about $4.1M for AE74.

ESPN’s Corey Pronman, who’s based in Florida and sees a lot of the Panthers, says that he largely agrees with the evaluation that’s out there on Erik Gudbranson, but thinks the overall athletic package is excellent, he likes his skating. Used to think he might be a second-wave PP guy, likes his shot, but now doesn’t think this will happen. He can hammer the puck, but he’s not going to produce much offence.

His one question for the Canucks is why make this trade now? Is the plan to go for the playoffs next season? Shouldn’t they be accumulating young prospects like Jared McCann and draft picks at this stage of their team’s development, instead of trading youth for average NHL players? Buffalo and Toronto didn’t make these trades the last couple of seasons, and they got Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews out of it.

In response to a caller, hosts Blake Price and Matt Sekeres explain that the concerns about attitude with respect to Jared McCann aren’t limited to Willie Desjardins not liking him, it’s about teammates having friction with him. Frontline veterans approached coaching staff and management and essentially said “Someone please have a talk with this kid.”

Interesting isn’t it ?
Desharnais ” earned ” a shot with the Habs by putting up points in the AHL. Holloway did that last season, but instead it’s hasta luego.

With no chance of pushing the runt aside to grab a thread of MaxPac’s coattails, a guy like this doesn’t really fit with the plan, whatever that plan may be. Plus, at 6’0″ and 200 lbs, he’s oversized for the CH.

I read on EOTP that MT is confident he can bring #25 to Montreal….man that is depressing to hear even though I absolutely believe he will be let go this coming season if there is a stumble of any magnitude. If CP doesn’t gain his complete and best form maybe there will be more than an MT exit because I don’t think this management group will ever achieve anything other than boring defensive style no matter what. MB has been so inconsistent since he first arrived and proclaimed the team needed more character….what has happened to that line of thinking? Jeez they are the absolute softest team in the league…..well the majority of the players are anyhow. I think it will be quite some time before the team really challenges for a cup.

I have no idea why you think having a coach that believes he can win a cup is depressing.
Maybe you don’t agree with him.
If the coach didn’t think he was going to win a cup during his tneture with the team than that is bad and depressing

Dust I wasn’t suggesting I am depressed about a coach bringing a cup to Montreal I was depressed that this coach thinks he can and will be here another season. Perhaps that makes a bit more sense to you.

To me it is a clear indication that the new Analytics GM whom the owner of the Panthers hired is making decisions, not Tallon.

Florida is getting a nice young forward and two decent picks, but Gudbrandson is a warrior, top 4 dman and the guy you have to have in long playoff series. Also the move appears salary driven, with perhaps the Florida owner telling his new young GM he wants to save money. If I’m a Panther player or fan I wonder about the new direction of the team.

I think it’s a salary thing too. I believe if Gudbrandson plays well this year he will get paid around 5mil a year. With the other dman the panthers have i don’t think they wanted to commit to him long term at that money.
I don’t think this is an owner stepping in situation. I think this is a long term salary cap look at things.

Tallon effed up things cap-wise in Chicago, so this is the owner making certain it doesn’t happen in Florida, a team on a budget.
Being deep up front is a winning formula in the playoffs so far, with the Sharks, TBay and Pittsburgh proving the point. With this is mind, Florida moved a stud Dman for a potential 30 goal scorer. It makes them that much more potent when Jagr is likely done after next season.
Comparing the remaining 3 playoff teams to the Habs up front demonstrates that Bergy’s team is nowhere near being a contender.
Unless he actually makes an impact move (99.999% likely not to happen), the Habs will tread water.

I only dream of our team being salary effed up the way Tallon left Chicago. Wow that is some good effing up he did.

If it is the vaunted fax machine faux pas you are referring to, I think that is being dramatically overplayed. Also have heard from a person well connected to team that Dale took the fall for another person not completing the task.

I think all GM’s make mistakes, but I really like Tallon and his eye for talent and how to build a team.

If you didn’t know Erik Gudbranson was a 3rd overall pick, his numbers are not particularly elite. In Florida’s case, they already have his replacement in house, as Player A is Alex Petrovic, who also shoots right but who brings more offence to the table and costs 1/3 as much.

Gudbranson is looking for a big raise next season, and it’s hard to justify paying him much more than his current $4-5 M based on his play, but he will certainly be expecting more.

I don’t think the Panthers fans need to worry too much. They will miss Gudbranson’s defensive ability a bit, especially on the penalty kill, but their defence corps should be fine (and I think more balanced) with Petrovic replacing Gudbranson in the top-4 and Mike Matheson making the jump next year. They need to bring in a veteran right-handed defenceman for the third pairing to mentor Matheson, but that shouldn’t be too hard to find. Perhaps Tom Gilbert could be signed on the cheap?

Petrovic is weaker defensively than Gudbranson, but in terms of physical play and shot-blocking and size, he is a clone of Gudbranson. A clone that just happens to be a better skater, passer and less limited offensively.

You can never have too many offensive forwards. Jagr is going to be retiring someday (I think!), and I’m not sure that the Panthers will re-sign either of Purcell or Hudler, meaning that they have two openings on their third line to fill. McCann can take one of those, and there won’t be as much pressure on him to score in Florida as Vancouver, who were desperate for offensive support for the Sedins.

I was never a big McCann fan when he played in the OHL, but he’s a good player with expectations that might have been too high. A third line role might be perfect for him for the next 2-3 years.

Petrovic has been shifting his game over the past couple of years and now plays a very similar game to Gudbranson. He fought a lot more last year (he led the Panthers with 8 fights) and he’s playing closer to the edge.

I agree that this might not be all Dale Tallon, but one of his strengths has always been that he has been able to pull the trigger on tough trades. I don’t think he wanted to part with players like Andrew Ladd or Dustin Byfuglien, but he managed to make the Blackhawks even better with those moves.

His cap management was always a little dubious (no NHL GM benefit more from NHL loopholes or, in my opinion, the NHL letting him away with behaviour that they would subsequently punish other teams for doing), but he has always been very good at scouting, both at the amateur and professional levels. He is easily one of the better GMs in the NHL.

Gudbranson is looking for a raise, and I can easily see Tallon looking at his roster and deciding that he doesn’t need to pay Gudbranson.

The Blackhawks team that Tallon built was heavy on star power and then filled out with complementary pieces. The Chicago defence was built around players that can move the puck (Keith, Seabrook, Campbell/Oduya, Hjalmarsson), and that is a problem for Gudbranson: he isn’t even a mediocre offensive player.

A defence corps of Ekblad (a more talented version of Seabrook), Kulikov, Petrovic, and Matheson (who could be a Brian Campbell-esque defenceman) easily fits with the Dale Tallon team-building vision in Chicago.

If he was given Desharnais’s ice time last year, who wants to bet Holloway puts up better numbers?
The classic ‘tweener. Lots of skill, but not quite good enough to play top six on an NHL team. And not quite hard enough to play against to take on a bottom-six role.
Off to Europe to make a pile of cash. Still not a bad living.

Yesterday, I made the following suggestions, more just to add a little fun to a quiet day of posts.
Patches to Detroit, for Mantha and Detroit’s first round pick. PK to Edmonton for the 4th overall and Hall.

Draft in the first round: Dubois, Sergachev/Chychrun/Juolevi, Gauthier

After thinking about it, and as much as some think the Habs should get more for PK, maybe get Edmonton’s 2nd round pick. I think this would make the Habs a better team long term. Hall can put up more points and has a lot more jam than Patches. Mantha, Dubois, and Gauthier add much needed size, coupled with skill. Adding one of Sergachev, Chychrn or Juolevi will help with skill on the back end in a couple of seasons.

In the second round, I hope they draft, Lucas Johansen, could be a steal and add some skill on the left side, Givani Smith, looks like a Lemieux, Corson, Simmonds, Ryan Lindren.

In the wings on defence, Juulsen, Lernout, Sergachev/Chychrun/Juolevi, Johansen, Lindgren. Much more depth. Add in up front, Sherbak, Hudon, McCarron. If McCarron is doing well on the Rock, perhaps the Habs could trade Eller at the deadline and bring him up.

Yes, it would hurt to trade Pk, but long term, I like this much better.

^^ Yup. I don’t think Pacioretty was 100 per cent right all season.
He could score 40 next year, on a relatively low cap hit.
You keep that guy.
Maybe give his ‘C’ to Gallagher… but you still keep that guy.

the cap hit makes him even better. Of the top of my head I can’t think of any player in the league that produces like he does and that price. I think taking the C away from him would be a mistake, the players voted after all.

I’m with you Ryder, I like most everything about Max but I’m not convinced he is the Leader of that team. He is liked, he says the right things and he is a very nice player. But that doesn’t make him a foxhole guy. 🙂

Playing with Chucky, Max showed that he can pass the puck too with career totals in assists. Playing with Chucky, Max is a legit 35-35-70 player. With that contract, he is the truly the only untouchable player on the team.

I have not posted anything in a while. I’m kinda missing it. I do want to tell that I know what most ppl. are now thinking after St. Louis was beaten by the Sharks. Its this: “David Backes here in Montreal and play for the Canadiens.”

I’m going to be one of those posters here who are hoping to have Marc Bergevin do something in the off-season.

As a native Vermonter, currently in exile in MA, nothing would make me happier than Governor Spaceman! My favorite player – stopped being a Sox fan when they traded him! I will be returning to VT in the next few years when our daughter and her husband can afford to buy our house.

This one I don’t understand. In all his seasons overseas he’s been almost a ppg producer. On the Caps, same. He worked hard and produced so the Habs let him go? Hilloway wasn’t expensive and was the only senior member of the team, not including the Scott debacle which by the way Bergy, I still don’t understand.

So what is Bargain Bergy trying to accomplish by stocking the talent pool with youngsters who rarely have won anything? No Cup winners on the big team. Marginal talent on the farm team. Build from the draft? Really? Anyone with rose colored glasses please tell me my sense of trepidation for this team and system is wrong.

Free agents gonna freeagent, yo. Bud’s gonna make his cheddar as he should. Hockey careers are short. And even if I love the women on the Rock more than just about anywhere, joining a league like the KHL is where it’s at.

They just handed out their year-end awards. Best troika: Nigel Dawes, Dustin Boyd and Brandon Bochenski. 3 guys with about as much NHL upside as, say, Bud Holloway.

I say great for him!

Not everything that happens with every player connected to the Habs is a signal of some catastrophic downfall. Stay patient, there will be plenty of glaring errors for us to pick over in the coming months.

I respect your glass half full approach on this matter. For years I have been optimistic about this club, beginning with the return of Gainey. There have been ups and downs but I tried to remain upbeat throughout.

This current regime, specifically MB had me really excited and upbeat about where the team was and is going. I was able to bite my tongue in respect to MT for a few years, and frankly he was a good choice for the first two years. He brought defense and discipline to the rink. I just don’t feel he is the right guy moving forward and I think it hurts the team keeping him.

As a result of this, I struggle to view the Bud scenario as free and clear of the Habs decision making being positive or not impactful. Having said that, I enjoy discussing things/topics like this with you as even if we disagree the discussion can be enjoyable and thorough.

Lately this site seems to be just a set of barbs. If a poster comments on perhaps trading a player (PK for ex.) he is immediately labelled troll or sometimes even racist. To me this site is all about having discussions, and if there isn’t disagreement or differing opinions at times well that gets boring.

Cheers Burly! There’s gotta be a range of opinions or what would we talk about, right? I choke on the idea of trading PK for, say, Hall and the 4th pick, but to others it’s a potential step forward. Each their own vision.

Like you, I got stoked when Gainey came on as well – and it’s been a very bitter period since the high times during Carbo’s Good Year. I’ve learned my lesson when it comes to former players, former glory, former anything. Last year I opined we were on the road to becoming the Leafs – I still think that and not in a good way.

But I’ve also learned since the Gainey years not to trip out on:
a) AHLers, even if they score ppg
b) rookies
c) draft picks
d) Russian defensemen named “Tank”
e) other teams acquiring players I like
f) bottom six players generally

So it’s hard for me to be too negative, because those are small things for me. There’s another 1000 Bud Holloways out there, Corey Lockes, Matt D’Agostinis, etc. etc. and if they aren’t truly special players I hardly register them anymore. I miss the days where I could cheer an enforcer, or when a third-liner wasn’t a generic penalty killer or an Andreas Dackell. I recall when #14 started playing #3C and I miss the excitement of seeing that kind of thing too.

I do wish we’d hung on to Perezhogin, but eh, every regime makes their share of errors.

Well Holloway wasn’t sent packing because he didn’t know the right things to say. The man handled the situation with class. I hope he tears up the KHL.

The current GM is very inexperienced. The only way to get experience as an NHL GM is to be one. You can get your CV annotated with six months this, a year as that, but a CV is not an evaluation of performance in the job you are taking, otherwise Alexandre Daigle and Angelo Esposito would be fighting for the playoff scoring lead.

Better Bergevin learn by making mistakes on fourth liners and acquiring almost every available D in the world than trading a critical piece or two for what turns out to be nothing later on. The mistakes he is making are little mistakes.

There is an old saying: Better to remain silent and be thought the fool than to open your mouth and prove it. Bergevin is in tough on the lack of progress during his tenure. Admitting mistakes won’t do him any good. He knows his coaches failed each season and failed big time last season. He also knows the team was third from the bottom when he took over, without those coaches. He is pretty sure now that the team is fragile without Price and that his coaches can not correct that. Now he has to figure out why and correct it.

Bergevin is in a no win situation. The owners have to determine if a few years of learning the hard way is good for the team overall, if Bergevin is a bad investment, or whether they want to have trained a GM for another team and start all over again.

Imagine Bergevin had walked in, PK had held out, and he had moved decisively and traded PK to whoever for whatever in 2012. Better Bergevin make his maddening no move moves and learn.